Starting to feel somewhat rundown, have not really let my self rest through out this trip.
We were lucky to be around when Hamanaka’s Festival was on. It’s a little town festival to wish for a good year during the seedling period, so small that it will never be on any tour group itinery. We helped out with making the mochi, which was later on tossed to the crowd for good luck. I was expecting a gentle toss, not the machine gun throw of several hundred mochi being thrown at once!
My highlight for the day was the children sumo, where the wrestling is presented to the god or kami as part of the wish for a good year. The children’s age range from 3 to around 12 or 13, and it was obvious who the ongoing champions were as the weaker wrestler’s face dropped once they realise who their opponent was.
mirgraphy 
No fair, that kid is so much bigger! hehehe..
You made mochi? How cool! What was that like?
Y.
Really basic mochi, the rice was grounded, then steamed then the dough was shaped into rounds. It taste pretty amazing when it’s still hot though, and has an interesting way of absorbing the taste whatever coating is on it for example nuts, soy etc.
I nearly died laughing that day, somewhat tragic comic in a lot of ways. Amazing I didn’t drop the camera!